DAY 1: TRIP AROUND TAIWAN

Sunday, July 5th, I left Chiayi City (嘉義市) for my trip around the island. I travelled on Provincial Highway 3 (台3線) through Chiayi County (嘉義縣) and Yunlin County (雲林縣). I've travelled along this road many times and decided to stop at only a few interesting places. My first stop was at the 921-Earthquake Memorial Park of Shadong Palace (Zhao Jing Earthquake Park照鏡臺地震公園) in Jhushan Township (竹山鎮). I was now in Nantou County (南投縣).

The Shadong Palace used to be a temple, but it was destroyed during the 921 Earthquake (九二一大地震). The destroyed temple and the park around it is now a memorial park. The Chelongpu Fault (車籠埔斷層) passes through the town. In Mingjian Township (名間鄉) there's another interesting 921 Earthquake Memorial. It's the The Tilting Electric Tower (地震斜塔紀念地) in the Earthquake Park (地震公園).

After passing Nantou, I stopped at the YuanMan Church (圓滿教堂) in Wufeng Township, Taichung County (臺中縣霧峰鄉). It's a 1045 square feet with ancient Roman, Baroque, Rococo and Gothic-style architectural features. The church is on Jinlingshan (金陵山), not far from the 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan (九二一地震教育園區). Not far from the church they are busy building a new YiGuanDao Founder Memorial (一貫道祖師紀念館).

After travelling about 128 km, I arrived in Taichung City (臺中市). Late afternoon Jay and I went to the GaoMei Wetlands (高美溼地). It's in Qingshui Township (清水鎮). It's one of the best wetlands I've visited in Taiwan.